A switch-type safety on a rifle helps those pesky twigs, errant clothing snags, etc. from catching on that trigger and ruining your day. That's why I demand absolute confidence in this component more than any other part of my long guns.
Well in 25+ years of crawling around in the bushes with the Remington action and safety in various configurations (600, 660, 7, 788, 700) I have yet to have an AD. I am not saying Remington did not have a safety problem; I know they did, but I have never had a problem.
However I will agree that the Model 70 action is more foolproof.
The Model 70 was their first choice, however.
The sources I have read stated that, I know from what I read the esteemed Mr. Hathcock prefered the Model 70 (Actually this is a little before my time so I am going by what I read). However that being stated the snipers I have interacted with are all quite pleased with a platform based on the Remington 700 action.
Winchester has ignored that market.
It isn't the rifle design, it's corporate policy than makes the 700 so ubiquitous with snipers.
That is a gross oversimplification of the situation. The reason the Winchester ignored the market was because it cost so much more (time in skilled labor) to bring the Model 70 action to the tolerances necessary for a true precision rifle. The choice was economic. It can be done, it is just much more difficult.
You are missing the point anyway. The point was that the Remington 700 action works, and has proven accurate enough to be the standard by which others are measured and is regularly used by snipers, durable enough for military service, and reliable enough to perform in the most dangerous environments in the world.
The Remington 700 action is rigid and can easily and economically be trued to provide astonishing accuracy...That is why the Remington 700 action, not the Winchester Model 70 action dominated the benchrest circles prior to the advent of the true benchrest actions.
Again, I am not detracting from the Model 70s...I love mine. I don't believe that any action is as smooth as the Model 70 action with cartridges with sharp shoulders. I love how my Model 70 action handles the Short Magnums, the model 70 has a much better feel than the Browning or Remington. The model 70 action provides all the accuracy I need.